Here is some clarification regarding the bracket play for 12U Boys division that starts Saturday 5/5 at Warhill.

Norfolk 1 & 2 have combined to a single team.

VA Beach North 1 & 2 have combined to a single team.

The early games vs OBX are considered “exhibition games” and do not count toward standings

VB South and Williamsburg B12U-2 will play the final Pool game tomorrow AM.

The only standings that could change as a result of the final pool game are Seed 6 & Seed 7. If Williamsburg B12U-2 defeats VB South, they will move up to Seed 6 and York B12U-1 will move to 7th. Therefore we have advanced all other teams to help provide schedule clarity.

Thank you for being patient while we worked out the Playoff schedule for the 14U Boys Middle School League. We had to go through a couple of iterations in order to ensure we equalized the number of games to the extent possible for all teams.

The final schedule is posted - Seahawks will have a "bye" as top seed and the other 8 teams will play in the initial round on Saturday at Warhill.

We can not finalize the seeding until the final games are played Friday night at the MAC. We will do this as soon as possible after the completion. In the meantime, please notify your families of the possible scenarios your team faces and have them ready to go at Warhill on Saturday.

Caddie Hardy and Hunter Wallen will be onsite at Warhill on Saturday along with our local staff to run the tables, scoring etc.

The final play-in (Seahawks vs winner of 9v8), semi-final round and Championship games will be at the PAAC on Saturday 5/12 - those brackets have been updated and posted as well.

There are a couple of teams who are short by a game or two - if that is the case for your team we will schedule those games for Wednesday 5/9 if the teams wish - but they will have no impact on the final seeding or Championship round and will be treated as "exhibition" games.

Thank you for your input and for all of the efforts you have put into making this season succesful. We have worked through some challenges that we will factor into the planning for next year to smooth out the rough spots.

I wanted to clear up a few items related to end of season events so that everyone can make plans.

1. 12U and 14U Divisions will participate in a “seeded” single-elimination playoff and Championship. The planned “brackets” are shown at the bottom of the respective Division pages (and have been there all season in case you missed that). ALL “available” teams will participate in at least the initial “Play-in”. As is the case in the High School League (and College) the playoffs are “Single Elimination - if you win, you proceed to the next round. Lose and your team is done for the season.

a.The League needs to know by tomorrow COB if your team is unable to participate in the playoffs. We would like to avoid forfeit games that create a situation where a team misses a game due to unexpected absence of another team. If we do not hear from you we expect your team to show at their designated time ready to play.

b.Rosters for the Playoffs and Championship are “Locked”. There are no floats allowed. If you are in a situation where you expect to be short of players, let the League Director know ASAP so that we can make slight adjustments (e.g., two teams in an area that can only field one team for Playoffs). Team “stacking” will not be allowed.

c.The Play-in round will be at Warhill on 5/5. Depending on the number of teams involved in the Play-in and the number of teams in the Division this may entail 1 game or 2 games. Games will start at 8am and will be based upon Brackets so be prepared. We can not make adjustments for geography as we are time limited.

d.The Semi-Finals will be at PAAC on 5/12. The 12U Championships and Boys 14U Championship will follow the Semi-Finals with a break in between. We had originally planned for the Boys 14U Championship to occur on the same day as the High School League Championship, but the High School League did not have sufficient space for this year.

e.The Girls 14U Championship is planned for 5/18 - location TBD and based upon home city of the top seeded team (currently Williamsburg). As soon as specifics are determined this will be announced.

2.The philosophy of 8U and 10U is to provide a safe and fun play environment for newer players to get lots of touches in a rule-limited small-sided game format. These are not “Competitive” divisions like 12U and 14U. Therefore, the concept of a “tournament” or “Jamboree” was never planned as part of the season. However, we are doing our best to take advantage of available (but limited) field space and to provide some additional “fun games” for these age divisions to wind up the season in their localized area- these games are an “add-on”. The regular season ends 28APR as has been announced and published since early in the season. Details:

a.Peninsula 8U and 10U teams (including Suffolk) will play on 5/5 at Warhill. If your team can not participate let the League Director know by COB tomorrow - 4/26.

b.South Division 8U and 10U teams will play on 5/12 at PAAC. If your team can not participate let the League Director know by COB tomorrow - 4/26.

c.The number of games and length will vary depending on how many teams are participating and may be different at each location. You can expect between 1 and 3 games with a shortened time block and single running period - details will be announced shortly after we determine how many teams will be participating. The reason we are allowing this input is because a number of coaches have already informed the League that they will be short players - we want to avoid no-shows and forfeits.

d.These games will not be scored and there is no winner or loser and no Championship at stake. I’m sure many of the kids will keep track but please emphasize that the spirit of the games is to have fun and finish the season with smiles on ALL faces. This will be a point of emphasis for the League Director and Vice Commissioner during the day at each location. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.

e.If any games are rained out they will not be made up due to field limitations.

3.The League will do the best it can to complete all of the remaining regular season games. We appreciate your support and look forward to a strong finish for the Season.

It has come to our attention that many 10U games have been deviating from the US Lacrosse rules related to face-off and body checking. Below are excerpts from the 2018 Boys Rule Book with links to the rulebook (which is posted on TourneyMachine under Documents as well).

Please brief your players and parents on these rules as they will be in force for the remainder of the season (as we train the Officials). This is a great time actually to introduce face-offs since many of the players will be moving up to 12U next season where this becomes a standard part of the game.

Body checking has gotten a bit too rough also and needs to be reigned in to allow the players to concentrate on building their skills without worrying about getting knocked down or hit with excessive force.

After a goalie makes a save, the goalie will put the ball back into play with a normal clear. This is not a “free clear” - the goalie has 4 seconds to remain in the crease and he can not be interfered with while he has possession of the ball and is in the crease. If he leaves the crease the same rules apply as with other field players.

4.18 - GOAL CREASE PRIVILEGES AND 4.19 GOAL-CREASE PROHIBITIONS

No offensive player may enter the crease at any time. Offensive players may reach their stick into the crease for the sole purpose of collecting a loose ball. Defensive players are allowed to be in or pass through the crease as long as they are not in the crease with the perceived intention of blocking a shot. The only player who can attempt to block a shot is a legally equipped goalkeeper. Additionally, no opposing player shall make contact with the goalkeeper or his crosse while he is within the goal-crease area.

4.3 - FACING OFF

Play shall start at the beginning of each period and after each goal with a faceoff at the center spot. The official will conduct a faceoff with one player from each team.

4.4 - POSITIONING OF PLAYERS AND STARTING PLAY

A team shall place one face-off player at the center of the field and confine at least 2 players behind each goal line extended. Goalkeepers are confined to their crease during a face-off. All players are released when possession is gained or the ball crosses a goal line extended.

NO BODY CHECKING ALLOWED!

4.15 - ALLOWABLE BODY CONTACT

Examples of permitted body contact are:

(a) Legal holds – Holding is permitted under the following conditions

(1) An opponent with possession of the ball or within 3 yards of a loose ball may be held from the front or side.

(2) An opponent in possession of the ball may be played with a hold check from the rear if the hold exerts no more than equal pressure. For (1) and (2), a hold check shall be done with closed hand, shoulder or forearm; and both hands shall be on the crosse.

(3) A player may hold the crosse of an opponent with his crosse when that opponent has possession of the ball.

(4) A player within 3 yards of a loose ball may hold the crosse of his opponent with his own crosse.

(b) Legal pushes – A legal push is exerting pressure after contact is made and is not a violent blow. Pushing is permitted from the front or side when an opponent has possession of the ball or is within 3 yards of a loose ball. In this case, pushing shall be done with either closed hands, shoulder, or forearm, and both hands shall be on the crosse

(c) Positioning yourself against an opponent to gain possession of a loose ball (boxing out an opponent)

(d) Defensive positioning to redirect an opponent in possession of the ball (riding a player)

(e) Incidental contact

LIMITED CHECKING

4.16 - CHECKING WITH CROSSE

In all cases, stick checks must be made with two hands on the crosse and to the crosse of an opponent or his gloved hand on his crosse. An opponent must be in possession of the ball or within 3 yards of a loose ball.

Only checks with the crosse listed below are legal:

(a) Lift the bottom hand, shaft, or the head of the stick, whichever is below the chest area.

(b) Poke the bottom hand, shaft, or the head of the stick, whichever is below the chest area.

This note is overdue, but I wanted to reach out to all of you on a number of points.

First of all, thank you for being a Coach! The league would not exist without coaches volunteering their time to help grow the sport. I have enjoyed (mostly) my 13 consecutive years as a volunteer Coach for HRLAX and I have learned a lot over that time as I have coached all levels from Softstick to High School. There are definite highs and lows involved in coaching as each of you know and we are often not thanked for fulfilling this important role. Most parents do not realize what kind of time commitment is involved and the sacrifices coaches make in order to grow the game and pass it on to the next generation. I can share that ALL of the leadership of Southside Lacrosse League are active volunteer coaches today and we understand what you do.

There is a wide range of experience among the 130 or so coaches in Southside Lacrosse League ranging from former NCAA stars with many years of experience & numerous credentials to brand new “recruits” with no lacrosse background and essentially zero training past the mandatory online US Lacrosse Level I course. Accordingly, there is a range of “interpretation” of league policies, how schedules are done, weather cancellation criteria, coach responsibilities as leaders within the League structure, etc. We need new coaches and want to encourage more to participate and rely upon the more seasoned leaders to help us guide and mentor newer coaches while they gain experience.

For those of you who are new: Welcome! I encourage you to ask lots of questions and to realize that lacrosse is a “life sport” and that there is always something to learn. I hope that you take advantage of what US Lacrosse has to offer in terms of online training which has become more helpful in recent years.

Change can be difficult at times. We have combined the various youth leagues into one and the format is new in quite a few respects. Some of the change comes from US Lacrosse and the evolution of LADM. Some changes come from new league goals and policies. I realize that a great deal of communication is required to ease the burden of the transition and the League leadership has been trying to work up to that. My email address is below - I ask that you go through normal channels for routine issues, but if you feel that you have hit a dead end let me know and I’ll do my best to respond.

I want to emphasize that the League leadership is motivated by one overarching goal: to grow the game in Coastal Virginia to the point where it should be given the population of this region. We want to provide more opportunities for the outstanding student athletes that live in our communities, including participation in Varsity Lacrosse within the public high schools.

The number of players participating in the HRLAX Youth Leagues declined over the past 7 years - by approximately 50% total! With Southside, we want to first reverse the decline and shift back into growth mode while raising the quality of the experience for our children. This can be done within a reasonable period of time as long as we have a concerted, collective effort from all who are invested in creating the best possible experience for our players and families - an experience that is based on fair play and clean competition and that exemplifies good character and good sportsmanship. Obviously, Coaches play a huge role in that. I’m asking for your help in making that happen!

Great sportsmanship is a foundational requirement for me. Although we all try to emphasize this on game day, it goes beyond that into the daily interaction each of us has with our families, co-coaches, players, league directors etc. As a coach, you have an significant impact on your families and players and your leadership can energize or deflate their view of the League AND the sport. Because of that, we ask that you always focus on displaying positive leadership and great sportsmanship in how you communicate to them and how you deal with issues, schedule challenges and occasional mistakes that inevitably occur. Positive messaging during the week fosters a positive attitude (and good attendance) on game day which makes everything flow more smoothly.

The biggest complaint that we receive at the League HQ is related to schedule changes and the perception that they change randomly or casually. The number of schedule change complaints from coaches is only exceeded by the number of schedule change requests that coaches make to the League - literally on a daily basis. So, it’s a bit of a catch-22.

The League has tried hard to accommodate requests for bye weeks due to varying spring break schedules, individual coach availability accommodations, variations due to school events, etc. However, this has a domino effect that when combined with weather reschedules or officiating shortages and impacts everyone. There are legitimate reasons to request a change, however we ask that you minimize further requests for “convenience” changes or things that you can work around with relatively minor inconvenience. We also ask that you act in a calming role with your families and not inflame them in your communications about game schedules wherever you can.

Finally, we are committed to each of the cities that constitute the Southside Lacrosse League. We realize that the name suggests a focus on one portion of the league, but that is just a historical naming situation and we are considering changing the name for the next season to be more reflective of the geographic area we cover. As most of you are aware, the League has a well developed infrastructure in place for the South Division which has run smoothly over the last few years.

The expanded geography and limited number of teams on the Peninsula introduces more complexity and forces more player travel than seems equitable depending upon each individuals perspective. We are committed to building a similar infrastructure for the Peninsula Division over a reasonable period of time and working towards an expanded number of participating teams to make local scheduling work.

We are taking the comments and experiences of this season to heart and plan to make changes for next year to improve as many aspects of the League as seems practical. Your constructive suggestions and input are welcome and will be considered in that process. In the near term, we are doing everything we reasonably can to make the last half of the season a good experience for all.

I look forward to meeting more of you personally over the last month of the spring season and in the future and will be present at most of the game days over this time.

In Southside Lacrosse League 12U Division, the level of play is competitive with scores kept and an end of season seeded playoff. In order to bridge the gap from 10U LADM format (cross field, 5v5 plus goalies, no offsides), Southside has added an alternative format to afford support for smaller teams while maintaining lots of on ball “touches” per player in a more logical progression from 10U format (5 field players vs 5 field players offense and defense) while adding the concepts of faceoff and wing play, close defense and long stick midfielder to the game.

Alternative Format:

If either team has fewer than 13 players at game time, the format for the game will be 8v8 as follows: Goalie, 2 close defense, 3 midfield, 2 attack. Teams must have 3 players in their defensive half at all times.

This provides for 2 midfielders or 1 midfielder plus LSM on the wings for faceoff and reinforces the 5v5 concepts of play applied in 10U AND box lacrosse (and other sports including basketball and ice hockey) in the offensive half.

Field Size:

Full field (110 yards) or shortened field (75 yards)

Scoring:

A scoring table with visible scoreboard will be provided.

Additional Rules:

Thank you for a great game day on Saturday. I am already looking forward to next weekend! I have receivd a few emails regarding rules at the 8U level and I wanted to reach out and clarify a few things.

First, Southside lacrosse follows the US Lacrosse Youth rule book for boys and girls. the main change the league has made is to implement the use of NOCSAE certified balls at this age level. Please click the links below to go directly to the rule book. I encourage you to all go over them.

Below is a snapshot of the boys and girls rules. I will also be reinforcing these to the officials. I have also been made aware that PAAC did not have the appropriate goal sizes. I will ensure that we have them for Saturday.

Coaches are some of the most influential role models in kids' lives today. Are you up for the challenge - and the rewards?

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